This article is intended to help guitar players out there add some Eric Clapton to their own style. One of the original "guitar gods," and one of the few who is still around today, having some of his style incorporated into your own can add a lot of depth to your rocking. Here are a few easy steps to get you going.

Master techniques such as hammers and pull offs. Part of Clapton's style is its fluidity, and using hammers/pulls add a lot of fluidity to your playing.

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Get used to doing full tone bends (a bend that bring the note two frets up) or even a tone and a half (3 frets up). This may require some practice, since such high bends can easily tire your fingers and/or wrist.

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Master vibrato techniques. Eric Clapton's vibrato ranges from twanging like an arrow to barely audible. Often, he places a vibrato at the top of a full tone bend, which is a great way to add tension to your playing. Its also tough if you're not used to it, so practice that a lot.

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Get the tone right. Clapton's playing is all about tone and expression. He is not like most 70's rockers. Every note should be used to help express a certain emotion or phrase that flows along with the music. Never play with 10 notes what you can play with 3. That doesn't mean that there aren't times to just let loose the fastest, most raunchy, distorted riff you can. Emotion is at the heart of his playing, and that spectrum goes from very sweet and light to very heavy and nasty. Know the best times to do both.

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Show quiet confidence on stage. He grooves to his music in his own way. He does not do the splits, play with his teeth, or really have any of that showmanship. It's a concert, not a ballet. Playing great music with plenty of layers says a lot more than goofy facial expressions and bad dance moves.

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Tips

Some great CDs to listen to are: "Live Cream (volume I and II)," "Derek and the Dominos: Live at the Fillmore East," "From the Cradle," "Slowhand," and "E.C. Was Here." All these albums give great examples of EC's playing style.

Remember that great technique is a vehicle to express your musical ideas. Use your technique to create a coherent musical statement, not as a way of showing us how many hours you have practiced.

Warnings

Because Clapton has lived past 1970, survived drug addiction, and is still playing great music, he is not as popular in some circles as (say) Jimi Hendrix, Duane Allman, etc. Some people may criticize your musical taste. Let them. It doesn't change anything.